Plans to blow up five city tower blocks at the opening of the Commonwealth Games have been ditched with only 100 days to go after organisers were forced into an embarrassing U-turn.

Games chiefs had wanted to use 2,755lbs of explosives to demolish the Glasgow Red Road flats in an event which would have been seen by a worldwide TV audience of more than a billion people.

Despite outraged critics branding the proposals ‘callous’, ‘insensitive’ and ‘crass’ – and more than 17,000 people signing a petition calling for them to be scrapped – organisers had insisted the show would go ahead on July 23.

Controversial: Five tower blocks which have been part of Glasgow's skyline for almost 50 years were to be blown up as part of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

Relics: Six of the original eight tower blocks remain after two earlier demolitions, one in 2012 and one last year (pictured)

But in a victory for common sense yesterday – the day after the Scottish Daily Mail revealed that families living in the shadow of the flats would refuse to leave on demolition day in protest – the proposals were abandoned under health and safety fears.

Change of plan: Although the blocks will still be brought down, it will not form part of the Games

The decision to drop the plans is an embarrassment for the 2014 Games organisers and First Minister Alex Salmond, who, as the Scottish Daily Mail revealed, knew of the project in February, despite claims he only learned about it on April 1.

In a TV interview yesterday, Mr Salmond said the U-turn was a ‘sensible decision’ that will be ‘welcomed widely’. However, critics said he must explain how the farcical situation had arisen in the first place.

There was little sign of contrition and certainly no apology from those behind the aborted plans.

Five of the six remaining blocks are still scheduled to be demolished but there are no details of what will replace their demise as the highlight of the Games opening ceremony, centred at Celtic Park.

Last night, critics, protesters and people who live near the high-rises welcomed the news of the U-turn.

Mother-of-three Michelle Ronald, 33, whose home is in the shadow of the flats, was one of those who threatened to stay in the blast zone to scupper the plan.

She said: ‘We had to act to stop the demolition happening purely for entertainment. You have to remember that it would have been blowing up people’s memories on live television.

‘It would just not have been right and that’s why we said we would not be moved. Blowing up five at once will leave us with so much dirt and dust it would be unbearable.

‘I was also very concerned that my roof and walls would be badly damaged in the blast.’

London Olympics opened with The Queen and James Bond parachuting into the Olympic Stadium -bosses of Glasgow Commonwealth Games planned their own explosive opening by blowing up five tower blocks - but have now changed their mind

Former Scottish Socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie, who began the public petition against the demolition, said she was ‘relieved and extremely pleased’ about the decision.

She added: ‘I think it’s great, it’s a sensible decision. I think everybody will be relieved and I think the more than-17,000 people who expressed their views in the petition will be relieved.

‘It’s an indication that people power can be effective.’

The climbdown came in a statement released yesterday afternoon.

Police Scotland made it clear that as anger grew over the plan, the stance of local people had ‘changed the safety and security context’ of the Games and revealed that they had asked organisers to reconsider the whole idea.

Summer of sport: The 11 days of competition in Glasgow will begin on July 23

David Grevemberg, Glasgow 2014 chief executive, last week publicly defended the demolition proposals. But last night he said: ‘The decision to feature the live demolition of five Red Road blocks within the opening ceremony was planned both as commemoration of a part of Glasgow’s social history, as well as a statement of the city’s regeneration.

‘We made it clear from the outset the absolute priority was safety and that this event would only happen during the opening ceremony if it was safe to do so.

‘Over the past few days it has become clear that opinions have been expressed which change the safety and security context.

‘Glasgow 2014, Games Partners and key stakeholders, including Police Scotland and Glasgow Housing Association, are not prepared to allow what was proposed to be a positive act of commemoration to create risk for all concerned.’

In his TV interview yesterday, Mr Salmond said: ‘I think it’s a sensible decision that will be widely welcomed. There are two aspects – one is the safety aspect which has been cited by the organising committee.

‘And secondly there’s a wider aspect: the Games are a unifying force for Glasgow and Scotland and we want all aspects of the Games to bring Glasgow and Scotland together.’

Scottish hero: Chris Hoy helped to celebrate Glasgow's velodrome for the Commonwealth Games, but the decision to blow up the flats caused outrage locally

The First Minister added: ‘I don’t think the safety issue is “face-saving”, it’s very, very important.’

The Scottish Conservatives’ sports spokesman Liz Smith, MSP, said the climbdown was ‘a victory for common sense’.

She added: ‘Let’s not forget that Scotland’s First Minister was involved in the decision-making process. Alex Salmond now has some explaining to do as to why we ever got into this farcical situation.’

Labour insiders claim the SNP has been desperate to protect Mr Salmond from the fall-out sparked by the furious reaction to the demolition plan and a Tory insider accused the Scottish Government of a ‘cover-up’.